


The Exchange

by MansiJain



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fem!Sirius, Female Draco Malfoy, Female Sirius Black, fem!Draco
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-04-24 06:01:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14349417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MansiJain/pseuds/MansiJain
Summary: Freshly released out of Azkaban after seven years, Draco Malfoy enters a world that has moved on. She applies for the post of an auror and is shocked to know what Head auror Harry Potter wants in exchange for selecting her. Female Draco Malfoy.





	1. Frozen in the Past

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Harry Potter or any other characters/things/places created by J.K. Rowling. I make no money from my fan-fiction.

**Chapter-1**

**Frozen in the Past**

Seated behind the window of the only dingy room she could afford, Draco stares at the streets. It's ten at night. She is surprised to see that the streets are still full of life. Kids are playing outside their houses. Their chuckles and snickers are as heartwarming as it's frustrating. That she was responsible for bringing tears on similar faces is so unbearable that she can hardly even look at their red sparkling faces. But she does. She looks at them and laments over her sins, her madness. They believe that the dark Lord is long dead and that dark marks disappeared with him. Shacklebolt fulfilled his promise and didn't let the truth go out. Nobody except a very few people know about the complete truth.

Seven years at Azkaban gave her a lot of time to introspect. She can hide from others but she can't hide from herself anymore.

After she was released, the first thing she did was to search for some place to stay. She wanted to see her son but knew that she should refrain from doing so. She didn't know whether he knew that she is his mother. She read some old newspapers to find out about Blaise and Pansy and found out that Pansy owns the daily prophet now and Blaise is the head of the potions division at the Ministry. Strangely enough, she feels no desire to brew anymore. Having spent more then half a decade between four walls, she is afraid of solitude.

She wants to see her son though and feels restless almost constantly. Her fingers are still tapping tonelessly on the window sill and her knees are shaking.

The Malfoy Manor is still sealed. She can claim it but she doesn't want to. This dull room is a much better alternative. The manor has memories that she would rather not relive.

People have moved on. They don't flinch when they see her or even react in any manner. A few times, they even smiled at her. According to them, she was a death eater and has served her sentence. She is still stuck in that moment seven years ago when the Wizengamot had sealed her fate. Even devoid of the dementors, Azakaban is enough to drive a person crazy.

There was no-one to keep her company other than spiders or mice or aurors who behaved as if she didn't exist. Leant against the dull and lifeless wall, all she could think about was that how her own false pride and blindness led to her downfall.

Someone knocks on the door and Draco sighs, trying to ignore it. It must be Severus.

The knock becomes insistent and she stands up, knowing that he would blast the door apart if she didn't open it soon.

When her aunt Sirius Black, donning a bright blue above knee length Velvet dress, greets her with a huge smile on her face, Draco stares. Why is the woman grinning? What's there to be happy about?

"Sirius, move aside." Severus mutters and Sirius smirks, "Hello Draco. How are you?"

Her jolliness irks Draco. She is in a gloomy mood and the woman's grin is only worsening it. Draco whirls around and walks back towards the window. Severus follows Sirius inside and they conjure a couple of chairs to sit on. Draco avoids their eyes.

She doesn't have the courage to face her godfather yet. Innumerable times, he tried to talk to her and she was so stupid that she ignored him.

"I forgave you long back Draco. Look at me." He murmurs and Draco does, staring in his dark eyes. The crease that was almost permanent on his forehead has vanished and she wonders if it is because of the woman who is sitting beside him. Sirius is not wearing the smile now.

Her eyes are understanding. With a jolt Draco remembers that Sirius was sentenced for a much longer period and that too when dementors were still haunting the place.

"Come and live with us." He murmurs and she shakes her head, "I don't want to impose."

"So now you think that you are a burden on me. Have you forgotten that you spent your entire childhood in my house." He sighs patiently and Draco looks at him.

He looks tired.

"It's okay, you know. We have seen things far worse than this. You were just a child. He never held it against you." Sirius whispers.

"Father and mother-"

"They are well and they have got accustomed to their life now. They have changed a lot." Severus cuts her off.

"I met Cissa. She is good and sent her love for you. We will go and meet them. Come on Draco. What's the point of staying here when you have a home and family to go to. You are free. Don't create a new prison for yourself. We will discuss your career options too. People have moved on, you know." Sirius continues softly before smirking, "I sneaked inside your room and brought your old teddy bear from there."

Draco's cheeks turn red and Severus smiles.

"You-" Draco glares at him and he shakes his head, "Cissa told her."

"I brought it for Scorpius actually." Sirius murmurs and Draco's eye become wide.

"Where is he? Is he living with you? I thought-" She trails off, her heart beating loudly.

Sirius clears her throat uncomfortably, "He is living in 'Harry Potter's Home for children'. It's an orphanage. We tried to get her custody but couldn't and your parents and Riddle were banished. He led a happy life. The place is managed by the elder Weasleys and you know Molly and Arthur."

Draco stares out of the window once again, a lump settling in her throat. That's more then she ever deserved from that man. A lesser man would have punished Draco by refusing to provide her son a home but not Harry Potter. He has to go out of his way and be noble. Years she had mocked him for it but right now, she really feels grateful.

Suddenly Sirius gets up and in a swift movement, she pulls Draco in her arms. For a moment, Draco freezes. She hasn't hugged anyone for seven years. Severus and Sirius met her at Azkaban but they were allowed to talk at an arm's length. She hadn't been allowed to meet Scorpius. He was only a child and they had thought it inappropriate to expose a child to Azkaban.

A moment later, Draco wraps her arms around her aunt. A stranger might even call them sisters. Sirius looks half her age. She has maintained herself quite well.

Eyes closed, she places her face on Sirius's shoulders and swallows softly. She misses her mother.

"We will go to meet Cissa and Lucius tomorrow after we bring Scorpius back from the orphanage. You are tired and you need to clean up. It won't do them any good to see their daughter depressed and broken." She murmurs and Severus stares silently at Draco.

"But what I did was unforgivable. When the truth gets out- how will I ever-" She starts, pulling away from Sirius'a arms to only be cut off by Severus, "You need to forget the past and think about your future. The truth will not get out. Riddle has changed a lot. He wants to meet Scorpius too."

Draco sighs and looks at the floor.

"Okay. I will come with you." Draco replies and together, they walk out. She breathes hard, trying to convince herself that not everything is lost.

XXXX

Her meeting with father and mother goes without a hitch. They are overjoyed to meet her. Most importantly, they are well and healthy. They have changed a lot and it was truly very strange to see mother in a muggle floor length skirt and top and father in simple muggle trousers and a shirt. They looked comfortable in their skin and didn't talk about the past.

Draco doesn't think that she can confront them about it yet.

They spent the afternoon together and then Draco took her leave, returning to Severus's manor with her son who knows her very well. Apparently, Sirius and mom told him everything about Draco and they have even shown the memories of Draco's childhood to him. She wonders how he will react if he were ever to know about Draco's past. She wonders what he will feel if he ever gets to know that his father was the dark lord Voldemort.

Right now, she is sitting in the garden, staring at the beautiful and colorful flowers that are scattered all around. Scorpius is sleeping, his face resting on her lap. His cheeks are round and healthy and his lips are pouting. He refuses to let her go for more than five minutes.

She regrets so many things. She regrets being stupid and blind and as mad as her aunt Bellatrix and losing Scorpius's childhood. He is such a lovely boy with blue eyes and blonde hair. He is well mannered and softly spoken and completely non-violent.

"Scorpius, let's go inside. It's getting dark." She whispers and strokes his hair softly. Severus told her about Ariana Potter being her son's best friend. Isn't it completely ironical. She doesn't want the animosity between Potter and herself to touch her son's friendship with Potter's daughter.

Scorpius mumbles in sleep and she whispers again, "Come on. Let's go inside. You can sleep with me tonight."

He opens one eye and yawns and then opens the other one. She finds it so adorable that she kisses his cheeks softly. She is glad that her past has never touched Scorpius. He is a happy child and and she wants him to always stay happy.

Sleepily he stands up and she drags him inside. With one hand around his shoulders, she opens the door of her room with the other and places him on the bed very gently. The she walks outside and closes the door again.

Severus and Sirius are sitting on a couch in the sitting room with Sirius's head in his lap.

"Severus." She murmurs and Severus turns his head to look at her. Sirius sits up and grins at Draco.

Draco smiles back before sitting opposite them.

"I have decided what I want to do." She starts and they wait expectantly.

"I want to be an auror." She continues and they stare at her.

"What?" She asks.

Sirius bites her lower lip before speaking softly, "You can do something else- maybe brewing. You loved it."

Draco shakes her head and Severus sighs, "Harry Potter is the head auror Draco. He detests you."

She swallows, "What's the worst he could do? Kill me. I don't feel the desire to live anyways."

Severus and Sirius stare at her and she gets up.

"Draco, choose something else." She hears Severus call after her.

"I have already chosen. I sent an application in the afternoon and received a response. I have an interview tomorrow."

She heads towards her room. This time, they don't say anything.

XXXX


	2. Tit for Tat

**Chapter-2**

**Tit for Tat**

Draco drums her fingers on her folder and waits for the door to open. A few other applicants went before her and returned with sweating faces.

After fifteen minutes, the receptionist asks her to go inside.

Draco mumbles, "Okay." before heading nervously towards Potter's room.

She finds him leant against the table, his hands crossed around his chest and his eyes on her. She clears her throat and closes the door. She selected a white shirt and a black skirt for today. When she turns around, she finds him frozen on the same spot. She swallows when his cold green eyes continue staring at her.

A bead of sweat gathers on her forehead and she stands there silently, her folder clutched on her chest, staring at his neck instead of his eyes.

The inferno of rage that she had lit inside him all those years ago is still burning and she is afraid that it will destroy her along with Potter.

She takes a moment to decide whether she wants to back off. She has a minute to decide. He is silent and that means that he is giving her a chance to back off and by all standards, she should.

But she doesn't because at Hogwarts he was the only one who gave a damn about her and the blame of what's about to happen rests entirely on her shoulders.

She looks at him and murmurs, "Head Auror Potter, hello."

"Hello, Ms. Malfoy. It's good to see you after such a long time." She breathes hard as his lips upturn very slowly in a smirk.

"It's-" She breaths deeply, "It's good to see you too."

His eyes linger on her lips for a moment before he murmurs calmly, "Why should I select you? You have not completed your schooling even and you have a criminal record. You led the death eaters, disguised as one of them. You have a son with Voldemort. You have no expertise except for potion making and dark curses. You misled the ministry and the entire wizarding world."

She swallows and looks silently at him, trying to understand where he is going with this.

"I can learn. I am a trained duelist and-"

"Let me cut it short. You will have to do as I say if you want to get selected." He cuts her off and turns around, heading towards his chair. He pulls it out and sits on it before stretching his legs on the table.

"I don't understand Pot-"

"Head Auror Potter, Ms. Malfoy." He hisses and she trembles when his eyes flash at her.

"What will I have to do?" She asks, her voice trembling.

"Anything- Everything." He replies and stares coldly at her. He is enjoying her nervousness. She could leave of course but something compels her to stay, something that she can't define yet.

"Okay. I want this job. I really want it." She whispers.

"Lock the door." He commands, "Then place your folder on the table."

She complies with him.

"Stand in front of me. There must not be a distance of more then fifteen feet between us." He orders and she walks a bit closer to him, breathing nervously.

"Take your shirt off." His command is a whisper and it takes her to a different time period. A sense of deja vu leaves her shaking and she trembles, knowing what he is about to do.

"I am sorry for what I did." She whispers.

"No body is here except me. There are no muggle cameras or devices in this room that are recording this." He murmurs and she looks away, closing her eyes.

"And I, Malfoy, am not a complete bastard unlike some others."

She looks at him.

"Take your shirt off, fold it neatly and keep it on the table."

She flinches and swallows and stares at his unforgiving eyes. His eyes are intense and his lips are upturned in a lazy smirk. He has filled in. His toned body is covered with a shirt. His thighs are muscled. He has worn muggle jeans today.

He is no longer the scrawny boy he used to be at Hogwarts. He is handsome, very very handsome and married too. He looks comfortable in his skin.

He remembers everything. It's been so long but he still needs to punish her. There is no mercy in his eyes. She doesn't begrudge him for that. She trusts him. She knows that he won't humiliate her the way she did simply because he loves her way too much .The little part of her heart that wanted to rekindle their relationship sobs silently, knowing that it is not possible. He will not forgive her. He can't.

She starts opening the buttons of her shirt, swallowing almost constantly. Her fingers are shaking and her knees are feeling weak. She looks hideous, pathetic. She knows that.

She takes it off and folds it, avoiding the man's eyes and places it on the table. She has worn a red lacy bra today. He is staring at her.

There is no desire in his eyes. There is nothing but indifference. He has become perfect in masking his face.

"Turn around." He mutters and she does, closing her eyes.

"So scrawny- it won't do Malfoy. You are too skinny." He whispers and Draco turns red.

"Turn back around." He commands and she does. He is still sitting on his chair, regarding her with disinterest.

"Take your bra off and place it on the table and then come here." He commands. There is not even a bit of desire in his voice or eyes.

Her lower lip trembles and she does as commanded. She takes her bra off and places it on his table, staring at him, searching his eyes for lust, love, desire anything but there is nothing. She is standing in front of him in nothing but her skirt. He must feel something but his face says otherwise.

Draco heads towards him, a lump in her throat. How the tables have turned today. There was a day he looked at her with so much love in his eyes and she never cared for him. Today she needs to see it but his eyes are so full of hatred.

When she is standing close to him, he looks at her with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

He places his hands beneath her breasts and lifts them a bit, "They have sagged."

She closes her eyes but when he encloses his hands around her breasts she is forced to open them. His touch is cold and it's like he is inspecting goods he needs to purchase.

"They are too small. You need to fill up." He murmurs and leans forward just a bit, his hands still around her breasts and licks the tip of her right nipple with his tongue. The nub hardens and he murmurs, "You taste nice though. That hasn't changed at least." Electric current is running throughout her body.

"That's all for today Ms. Malfoy. Please dress up." He commands abruptly in a professional voice.

She turns around and starts dressing up.

"I am a busy man, Ms. Malfoy. Please hurry up. I need to tell certain things to you before you leave." He commands her.

Once she is done, he mutters, "Catch." and she gets ready to catch whatever he is giving her. It's a key.

"You will live in the apartment I purchased for you and you will take Scorpius with you. If you don't wish to raise the child, you will request for his adoption. A dietitian will call you up. You will let her guide you."

She simply nods.

She takes a deep breath and walks closer to him. She avoids his cold eyes. He is glaring at her.

"Please forgive me." She murmurs after kneeling down in front of him on her knees. She folds her hands in prayer and begs, "I know I did a very big mistake. I know I betrayed you. I broke your heart. Please forgive me Harry. I am sorry. I- I want what he had back. Please."

"Ms. Malfoy. Stand up and back off." He barks angrily and she mumbles in a quivering voice, "Yes, Head Auror Potter."

Her eyes are burning from unshed tears as she stands up.

"Please leave. You have wasted enough of my time. Be here at sharp seven AM tomorrow. Mr. Weasley will train you. I will supervise."

"Yes sir." She whispers and walks out, her folder in her trembling hands and tears of humiliation, pain and regret flowing down her eyes.

XXXX


	3. Paying her dues

**Chapter-3**

**Paying her dues**

_"Can I get something to eat?" Harry pleads, dressed in dirty shirt and pajamas, his hands bound on either side of his head to the walls of Malfoy cellars. Riddle is having a mouth watering meal with Lucius Malfoy right in front of him and Harry has not been allowed even a single bite for three days now. He is starving and he hasn't taken even a sip of water for atleast a day._

_"No." Riddle murmurs before taking a sip of his wine. From what he has heard, a special potion was brewed to enable him to get his good looks back. He wonders what Dumbledore thinks. No one except Dumbledore and Harry knows about the Horcruxes. So Harry is unable to understand as to how he can look human without merging his horcruxes which is impossible as per Dumbledore. Ever since Harry was caught and thrown in these cellars, he is being starved. Occasionally someone comes and crucios him until Harry loses his consciousness. They rarely ever give water to him and if he is given a meal, it's only a little soup and bread._

_Except for the situations like the present one when Lucius and Riddle are mocking him by eating a delicious and aromatic meal right in front of him, no-one speaks to him._

_"Why are you doing this?" He murmurs desperately, swallowing and licking his lips._

_Riddle's eyes snap towards him. He looks at Harry for a moment before blurting out, "We are not the ones behind this." and Harry stares at him, unable to understand as to how can anyone have an authority over Tom Riddle himself. The question about the identity of the person who is really behind this is on the tip of his tongue but then Lucius makes a show of dropping water from his goblet on the floor and Harry stares desperately, his entire attention on the falling water._

_"Please -Please-_

Harry jolts awake, his eyes wandering all over his room to make sure that he is in his bedroom and not in some dungeon. Slowly his breath returns to normal and he breathes deeply before getting out of his bed. His gaze travels towards the photo frame placed on his table. It has a moving photograph of a fifteen year old Malfoy and himself. He tells some joke to her and she laughs loudly, dropping her head on his shoulder. It happens over and over again. The acting skills of the woman have always been commendable. Merlin only knows whether the tears that she shed while leaving his office were real or not.

He had discarded all the other photos they had taken together. He had burned them to ashes but this one he had preserved so that it could always remind him of the mistake he had committed by hoping against hope that even he could have someone who would love him unconditionally.

Till date, he doesn't know whether the chuckles that adorned her face when he told jokes to her were real or maybe they were sham as well.

With angry steps, he walks out of his room. He detests these nightmares. They remind him of his stupidity and blindness and weakness and he hates feeling weak.

He wants revenge. Malfoy was sentenced for seven years and he couldn't spend even a single day in peace. The nightmares and memories won't let him live. He did everything he could to make her sentence unbearable. It should have been enough to extinguish the ever present fire inside him.

Apparently not. He needs to make her realize what it feels when the tables are turned. He wants to see her going through it and if her pain and suffering kills him as well, then so be it. He wants to get rid of this fury he feels all the time.

It's only fair that she feels the pain and agony of humiliation he went through. He punches the wall just beside his fridge and hisses, "Damnit."

Ariana and Ginny are sleeping and he mustn't disturb them.

"Harry, you are awake?" His ex-wife's voice reaches his ears. No-one except Ron and Hermione are aware of the fact that they are divorced. They have decided to keep it hidden until Ariana is atleast eleven since neither of them has a plan to get remarried.

Ginny has decided to join aurors now. Ariana is not a child anymore and she can leave her with Molly and Arthur or one of her brothers while they are at work and Scorpius has his mother now.

He doesn't reply. Instead he opens the fridge and takes out a water bottle. They could use magic for this kind of thing of course but Harry was accustomed to muggle things and so they chose to get some things like an oven and fridge and a toaster and such.

"Another nightmare, eh?" She sighs, settling down on chair, "Draco is back now and you should move on. She has served her sentence and you made it difficult for her. Had it been someone else, they would have died long ago. She has paid her dues. Forgive her. You are even now."

He glares venomously at Ginny who doesn't even flinch.

"It's not enough. Have you forgotten what she did. She was behind everything, everything Ginny, starting from the beginning. She was right in front of my eyes, deceiving me, keeping me under an illusion that she loved me of so much while-"

"Stop Harry. Stop. It's over. War happened seven years ago. She did many things that were unforgivable and she has been punished enough. She surrendered and accepted all the conditions-"

"Not because she felt guilty. She wanted to avoid the death sentence." Harry hisses.

"It doesn't matter. She is not doing anything wrong now. She is living peacefully with her son. Scorpius is Ariana's best friend. What will he feel when he realizes-"

"You don't have any right to question me about Scorpius's welfare. She wasn't there for him for the last seven years. Nor was Scorpius's father. I was the one who cared for the child. I gave special attention to him and treated him as I treated Ariana. So don't tell all this to me, all right. You have no right to tell me as to what is right for him and what's not." He snaps at her, his body trembling with rage.

She gets up and points her finger accusingly at him, "You just shut up okay. You weren't the only one. I cared for him as a mother does. I was the one who fed him and looked after him as well as Ariana when they cried. I sacrificed seven years of my life for both of them. I could have joined the aurors seven years back but I did not Harry because I had two children instead of one and although they are not related by blood and they do not treat each other as siblings, Scorpius is as much my son as he is Draco's. So you do not get to tell me to keep out of this. I will not let your madness and inability to move on touch either of the kids." Her eyes are blazing. They glower at each other for a few moments before he whirls around.

"Where the hell are you going?" She yells.

"Last I checked, you weren't my wife. Shut up and get lost." He yells back and disappears.

Two minutes later, he finds himself gazing at the flat he had purchased for Malfoy.

Stacie, the dietitian he chose for Malfoy told him that the woman refused to follow her diet chart and that too when Harry had asked her to let Stacie guide her and that's kind of a thing Malfoy had punished him for when they were in a relationship.

Well, it's time to turn the tables. She must be given a taste of her own medicine.

Without even knocking the door, he unlocks it. The flat is warm and cosy. It has three bedrooms, a seating room and a kitchen with an attached Dining room. It has a garden as well. It is large and spacious enough to allow Scorpius to play and run around if he wishes to. It also has a cellar, the entrance of which is hidden somewhere neither Malfoy nor Scorpius will go.

He slams the door behind him. He doesn't mean to of course but his anger doesn't allow him to be patient and quiet.

"Who is it? Who-" Malfoy comes out, her bony body covered in a purple night gown. She stares at him for a couple of minutes, frozen on the spot before asking, "Shall I firecall Ginny and request her to take Scorpius for the night?"

The most infuriating thing is that Malfoy is not even fighting it. She has accepted it. She must want this job badly if she is not protesting even a little bit.

He nods silently, following her with narrowed eyes. He stays out of Scorpius's room, not wishing the child to see him like this.

"Malfoy, we need to talk about it?" He hears Ginny mumble softly.

"Yes, I will visit you. I am okay. Don't worry." Malfoy replies and Ginny insists, "Nothing is okay about you. We need to talk."

But Malfoy closes the call as soon as Scorpius has gone and she comes out, her stride nervous.

Silently, he walks towards her room and settles on the edge of the bed.

"Stacie told me that you denied to follow her diet chart." He gets straight to the point, his voice sharp and unforgiving.

She shifts nervously in front of him. Even like this, with too thin body and sunken cheeks, she seems so beautiful that it irks Harry. Why is she so beautiful. He hates her. He hates her so much.

"I- I can't eat that much right now."

"She is a professional and I asked you to let her guide you. What part of the instruction was not clear to you?" He asks coldly and she looks at him.

"I am sorry Harry. I -"

"Do not take my first name. You don't deserve it."

"Harry, please listen -"

"I said, do not call me Harry. Call me sir and nothing else. Why don't you obey me?"

"Harry, please- I am really-" She repeats and he gets up, his head pounding and his entire body trembling with unrestrained fury. She doesn't have any right to call him by his first name, not when she is responsible for turning him into this- this kind of a man.

Unbidden, a memory trickles in the forefront of the mind.

" _You didn't obey me. I asked you not to follow me. I told you that I needed to talk to Blaise privately."_

_"I was worried f-"_

_"No, Harry, you disobeyed me and I want you to whip yourself twenty times."_

_"Please- I am sorry- I will-"_

_"If you don't do it, I will assume that you don't love me."_

_"All right."_

"Sir." Her quivering voice jolts Harry out of his humiliating memories and with anger that is ten times is what he was feeling earlier, he walks towards Malfoy.

He accios a belt and transfigures out into a leather whip.

"I want you to whip yourself twenty times because you disobeyed me."

Malfoy stares at him with horror in her eyes. A moment later, something skin to pain replaces the horror.

"Okay." She says and his heart pounds. Before he can change his mind, he hands the whip over to her.


	4. Revenge

**Chapter-4**

**Revenge**

"Don't forget counting."

She doesn't make any sound, ever the adamant woman. She only nods before hitting herself. The leather connects with her nighty clad back and makes an eerily familiar sound. Harry remembers the pain. He still has the scars, both mental and physical.

"One." She mumbles.

The second slap is harder and she moans, "Two"

It's satisfying to see her in pain but it's still nowhere near enough, nowhere near the pain he had suffered.

"Don't stop." He hisses at her.

"Three." It's just about pain that he wants to give her and she knows it.

By the time she murmurs fourteen, she is sobbing and quivering but still counting.

"How does it feel Malfoy? Do you know why I am doing this? Do you remember?"

He shouts at her. Her face is red and her knees are shaking badly. Tears are flowing down her cheeks Anna Harry can't feel any mercy inside his heart. He can feel nothing except the rage that is flowing like electric current throughout his body- mad and uncontrollable rage.

"Stop." He screams when he is sure that she can't bear it anymore. She is shaking all over.

"How many?" He asks. The whip falls down from her quivering hands.

"Seventeen sir." She sobs out.

"I didn't have my shirt on. I was only worried about you that day. I hate you so much that I can't express it." He hisses, his chest heaving. His head is pounding and his hands are shaking.

"Sorry. I am so- sorry." She sobs out. Her pained eyes meet his. He doesn't know how to get rid of his rage.

Wordlessly, he slumps on her couch.

"Go and get me a cup of tea." He spits out.

Her face is streaked with tears. Their eyes meet and he averts his because her poisonous eyes compel him to wrap his arms around her and apologize but he won't fall into the trap again. He will take his revenge and leave and he won't care about her this time.

She hadn't cared for him after all. Why should he? She should have the courage to bear the pain if she can give it.

"Go. Make omelet for me too. I want it spicy and I want both things to be hot. Get out of my sight." He barks at her. Tears slide down her cheeks as she walks outside, her eyes ashen with humiliation and pain that he has never seen before.

He places his head on the back and stares at the ceiling. She returns ten minutes later, omelet in one hand and a kettle in other along with a cup. She closes the door with the help of her feet and walks towards him, her face devoid of tears although dried tracks of her previous tears are still there.

Silently, she kneels down and places the things in front of him. He picks up the plate in his hand and takes a bite with the help of the fork. There is no salt in it. His blood boils. She must have done it deliberately.

She is staring anxiously at him, sat on the floor with crossed legs. He scoffs and throws the plate away.

She gasps, "What-"

"You forgot to add salt, it seems." He mocks her.

She swallows, "I - I really must have forgotten it. I-"

"Did you add any potion in it. I did take a bite. You haven't poisoned me again, have you?"

"NO! No of course not. I was in pain and maybe I forgot. I shall go and make another for you."

He raises a hand in front of her, "No need. Go and sleep. I will just have some tea and then retire."

"You seem hungry. Let me-" She starts and he snaps at her, interrupting her, "Just go to sleep. You have killed my appetite."

She stares at him, swallowing constantly, "Haven't you punished me enough? Seven years. I took everything you threw at me. I didn't protest, not even once. Please forgive me. I want to start afresh- afresh wi- with you. Ginny and you took care of Scorpius like your own son. Please -"

He chuckles bitterly, "With me. With me, you say. Oh Please! Your false words won't deceive me ever again. Just. Go. And. Sleep."

She closes her bright eyes. She is attempting to fool him again but she won't succeed. Her eyes open and stare at him, tugging at his heart.

"I will scratch your eye sockets out if you look like that at me. I don't trust you. Don't look at me."

She gasps before averting her eyes away. Then she stands up and walks towards the bed and lays on it. With trembling hands, he pours a cup of tea for himself, staring at the omelet that is lying in the corner of the room.

XXXX

Draco takes huge gasps and tries to swallow her sobs. He has dark circles beneath his angry eyes. His face is almost always pale and he never smiles at all. It was honestly a very painful experience. Now that she knows what it really feels to be at the receiving end of it, she is horrified at what she forced him to go through. A few moments later, the bed sinks and the lights turn off. She closes her eyes and tries to sleep.

She takes huge breathes and tries to think of nothing but sleep. She needs to sleep if she has to start training tomorrow onwards. Weasley will not be kind to her. Just when she feels herself slipping into slumber, the bed dips again. She tenses for a few moments wondering what Harry will do now. She waits for- she doesn't know what. She just waits but nothing happens so very slowly, she turns around. It's dark but moonlight is streaming through her windows and Harry's figure is quite visible to her. He is sitting on crossed legs on the floor and is eating the omelet he had thrown earlier.

He is taking huge bites and is sniffing constantly. She stares, astonished. The omelet was on the floor for the past forty or forty five minutes. She doesn't understand why he is eating the the tasteless thing as if it is the most delicious dish in the entire world..

Maybe it is because she never wanted to do anything for him. He, on the other hand, kept on baking cookies for her.

He pours cold tea in his cup and gulps it and finishes the omelet quickly before wiping his mouth and glancing at her. She closes her eyes and stills, wondering if he knows that she saw him. He won't want her to. But then the bed just dips and he lays down and she falls asleep.

XXXX

Sunlight streaming inside the room wakes her up and she sits up. She moans a bit and the memories of the previous night come back to her and she grimaces.

"Get ready quickly. You don't want to be late. It's your first day." He hisses coldly, sitting with his back straight and pressed against the headboard. She sits up and stares at the corner of the room, asking him, "Where is the omelet? I thought that I would clean it."

"Not everyone is as unhygienic as you are. I cleaned it last night. Your culinary skills haven't improved, not that I would know whether you ever knew how to cook seeing that you were never interested in making anything for me. Now, you will though. I will have my meals over here. You will make them on your own and you won't take help of any elf."

She stares at him for a few moments, stunned. She has never cooked a proper meal in her entire life.

"I don't know-"

"You will learn or you will lose the job. It will take me two seconds to kick you out." He mutters, matter of factly and she breathes deeply.

Her fists clench into fists. Who is he to order her around. She doesn't follow anyone's orders. For a moment, she is back at Malfoy Manor, in her room, sitting on her rocking chair, looking at the death eaters, her face covered with a piece of silk cloth. Nothing but her eyes are visible and she is glaring at Nott senior for sabotaging her plan. She is angry at Potter too because he won't obey her and she vents her frustration out on the man knelt in front of her. She casts several crucios in succession and doesn't stop until he is literally trembling in front of her, begging her to stop.

When she comes back, she feels that old urge to punish the man who is looking at her, his green eyes dark with unbridled fury and challenge and for just a moment, she feels herself lifting her fingers at him. The moment passes though and she blinks hard, horrified at what she was about to do.

"Why did you stop? Go on." He snaps at her and she breathes hard, "I don't know what you mean. I will just go and get ready."

She stands up and feels his eyes following ever step that she takes. She goes into the bathroom and gets ready within fifteen minutes. When she returns, she finds him sitting in the same position on the bed, staring at her with narrowed and outraged eyes.

Yet when she walks out, mumbling, "I will keep your breakfast on the table.", she can't help but notice that his face is less paler than it was last night.

XXXX


	5. Fickle

**Chapter-5**

**_ Fickle _ **

"Ah. It hurts." Draco groans lightly.

"I told you to stay away from him Draco." Severus mutters. Her first day at training has left her confused about her decision to become an auror. It isn't just that it was hard. It's more about the fact that she doesn't want to fight. It's just not her cup of tea. Weasley was polite and professional. Ginny was very nice. She went out of her way to make Draco comfortable. Theodore was there too. Ginny told Draco that Longbottom became a herbologist and Lovegood became a seer. Thomas and Finnigan are photographers and Granger teaches transfiguration and magical creatures in Hogwarts.

She told her that Weasley wanted to leave the aurors and that Harry was the only one he was here for. She told Draco about Scorpius. She told Draco that her marriage with Harry was farce. Ariana was the only one they were staying together for.

She said that Harry was sick and obsessed and needed to leave this job.

"Draco, listen to me." Severus says after applying the healing salve on her hand. Draco looks at him.

"You don't want to do it, do you? I know you very well. What is stopping you? It won't take long to make a lab for yourself and people have moved on Draco. You are a potions mistress. Claim the title back. You are a free woman." Severus says.

Draco stares silently at him.

"Riddle-" Severus stops and clears his throat. He looks at the fire crackling inside his fireplace and mutters, "Riddle's banishment ends tomorrow and so does your parents's. They will come back and build the manor from scratch. Lucius has saved money over the past few years and Narcissa earns quite well from her fashion designing."

"I don't know what you mean." Draco says.

"Riddle is a potions master. It doesn't matter that he didn't obtain the degree in this country. He is Scorpius's father and from what I remember, you liked each other."

Their eyes meet. Draco freezes. Severus is not the kind of man who imposes his decisions on other people. He is not that concerned about others. Atleast, he wasn't when Draco was imprisoned. Sirius has changed Severus a lot. Severus has started caring.

"I am an adult. You can't just-" Draco starts to be cut off by her godfather, "You took your decisions and ruined your life."

Draco breathes hard but stays quiet.

"You gave birth to a child and left him alone." Severus continues in a hard voice. His eyes are steeled. Draco's hands are trembling.

"You lied to Potter. You lied to the entire order. You lied to me. Lucius didn't contest your decisions. Nor did Narcissa. I didn't know anything and you betrayed me. You never let me find out about your true intentions. I never knew that you were the actual face behind Riddle and his decisions. I still don't know exactly what you did to merge his horcruxes. It's not possible to heal a soul and create a man out of the beast Riddle had turned into. Albus refused to answer my questions."

Draco takes a long breath. No one knows about that except Tom. That is something she chose to keep a secret. No one must know. Severus's steeled eyes frighten Draco. She knows what's coming. She won't be able to contest Severus's decisions now.

"Severus." Sirius's voice is hard and abrupt and Draco sighs in relief.

But then Severus murmurs, "Don't interrupt me Sirius, not when you know that I am right."

Sirius is standing at the door. Her eyes meet Draco's. Draco looks at Severus's cold eyes and suddenly she is very afraid. She hasn't been afraid of Severus ever since she was a very tiny baby and broke Severus's potion vials. Severus has never been the kind of man to resort to corporal punishments but he doesn't need to.

He has other ways to punish Draco. He might disown her or cut all his connections from her and Draco can't have that. She loves Severus as she does her father.

Sirius sighs and turns around to leave. 

"Don't- don't leave please." Draco murmurs and Sirius's eyes soften. She grimaces and glares at Severus and then comes inside. Once Sirius settles down beside Severus, the man looks at Draco.

"I won't let you spoil your future Draco. You have three days to decide. I know that you don't want to be an auror and I don't care how you are going to tell this to Potter."

Draco breathes hard and starts, "How can you be sure of it? I certainly didn't say anything."

"Anyone who has eyes would know that." Severus snaps at her and Draco trembles. He is angry. He is really angry and Draco has not witnessed it for more than a decade now.

"Why are you shouting at her? Calm down." Sirius hisses furiously. Severus doesn't even look at the woman though he does calm down, if only marginally.

"Had I known the truth I would have taught you a lesson there and then. But Lucius didn't tell me. Nor did Narcissa. I do not understand what your parents were thinking."

"They-" Draco clears her throat before continuing, "They were afraid of me. I threatened them. I was afraid of you so I couldn't have you know." Draco murmurs cautiously, her eyes at the fireplace. She can't look into Severus's eyes. She doesn't need to. She can feel rage emanating from his entire body.

"Riddle has changed. He is a good man now. You are compatible with each other. Both of you are potions masters. He is not the beast who enslaved thousands of wizards. He likes you. Meet him tomorrow. Spend some time with him. Settle down if you think you want to. Stop chasing Potter. I want you to stay away from Potter. He has gone beyond the point of return. He will never forgive you."

She nods quietly, knowing that he is right.

She wants to get out of here. Severus doesn't understand. She can't leave Harry alone. She likes him. That he wants to hurt her, humiliate her doesn't change things.

At Hogwarts, he used to spend time with her. He used to try to spend as much time as he could spare with her. She never realized how much she needed his attention until today afternoon when she really wanted to see him and he didn't come until three hours later. Other than Tom, he is the only constant she had throughout her years at Hogwarts.

"I want to continue with potions. Maybe I can get a job in the potions decision of the ministry for now." She says.

"But why. You don't need that. You can open your own apothecary with Riddle. He has established his goodwill. You can cash on it and build yours. Riddle -"

"Riddle Riddle Riddle. Stop it Severus. I'll meet Tom. It's quite possible that he found someone else over the past few years and it's possible that he isn't even interested in a relationship. He has never been that kind." She hisses furiously and Severus's face hardens.

He murmurs, "All right. Reclaim your degree tomorrow and meet Riddle. Stay away from Potter. He is a nuisance. I don't want him to hurt you."

This being said, he gets up and heads out of his room. Sirius stays there and Draco talks to her for a while before retiring.

On being asked by Severus as to where she will stay, she lies that she has rented a room in an apartment. Severus doesn't need to know that she is returning to the apartment Harry brought for her.

There is this inexplicable urge to see the green eyed man that she can't explain to anyone. Maybe Harry will finally give her a reason to flee away from him.

She hadn't known that her wish would be granted just seven hours later.

XXXX


	6. Can't Forget

**_Chapter-6_ **

**_Can't Forget_ **

Harry caresses the black leather collar lovingly. There was a time when she had used it to control him. She tormented him. He was so humiliated by the time she removed the bloody collar that he couldn't look at his own reflection for months without flinching. He hates it. He hates it from the deepest core of his heart. Still he didn't get rid of it. He waited for today.

He wants to see the terror that he felt on her beautiful face. He smiles and places it in his pocket before apparating inside the appartment. The sun has risen but it's still quite early. He is sure that she is still asleep. It's perfect. He peaks inside Scorpius's room. The kid is snoring. He closes the door and heads towards Malfoy's room. Quietly, he opens it and tip toes inside. For a few moments, he stares at her face. She is so pretty. Her hands are joined over the blanket and her lips are slightly parted.

He hesitates. He doesn't want to hurt her. What happened the other day was not right and it didn't really lessen the inexplicable pain he keeps on feeling. However, those couple of months when she forced him to wear this collar have been the cause of his nightmares ever since she was imprisoned and he just wants to get over it.

The thought boils his blood and he glares at her sleeping face before kneeling down beside her bed. She makes a soft noise and turns towards him before settling down on her side. Very gently, he leans towards her and removes her hair from her shoulders. He places the collar around her neck and right when she opens her eyes, he locks the collar.

She backs off, her eyes wide with surprise. He sits back on his haunches and looks at her with his lips upturned in a smirk. She doesn't know about the collar yet.

"What are you doing here? You startled me." She murmurs and sits up and the moment she does sit, she realizes that there is something arpund her neck.

Her silver eyes widen with something akin to terror now. She traces the leather and stammers, "Wha- what is this?  _What is this Ha- **my lord?** "_

As her breath quickens, she swallows and he summons a mirror for her. Her eyes are still looking into his. He places the mirror right in front of her eyes.

She stares speechlessly. Her lips part in shock and her eyes shine brightly with unshed tears.

"How is it?" He asks and their eyes meet. She doesn't answer him just like he had not answered her.

"It's looking perfect on you." He says. She wipes the corners of her eyes.

"Remove it." She says.

He looks bitterly at her.

"Please remove it Ha- my lord." She pleads. His pleas had fallen on deaf ears. He had begged her to remove it. The Dursleys had controlled his entire childhood and he was terrified of being controlled. He only wanted - wants to be happy for once. He wants to have peace but she haunts him. She haunts him all day and all night.

"I modified it, you know. I could suffocate you to death. _Slowly._ " He drawls. She stares at him.

"Want a demonstration?" He asks and doesn't wait for her response. He murmurs the spell and the collar starts tightening around her neck.

"Please -please. I am-" The collar renders her speechless. It's almost funny to watch her open her mouth and close it. Her pupils are wide and her breath has quickened.

"I locked the door you know and put a silencing charm as well." He snaps his finger and the collar returns back to its normal size.

"Please, Ha- my lord. Please." She begs and he flicks his fingers and the collar tightens around her neck once again.

"It's nothing you didn't do or have you forgotten. I told no-one, you know. They have forgiven you because they don't know what you did." Harry didn't tell anyone. They know that Harry was in a relationship with Malfoy but that's all they know. They don't know how she betrayed him, tormented and humiliated him.

She stops trying to say anything and tries to get the collar off. She isn't able to breath but Harry won't let her die, not before she has paid her dues. He wants her to feel everything she forced him to feel. He doesn't want to kill her.

"I modified it. You will address me respectfully now onwards. You didn't force that on me. It was a small mercy you granted me so that no-one gets suspicious. It will make you do whatever I want." He finishes and the hold of the collar loosens again. The power he has over her right now is addictive. 

"You won't be able to tell anyone about it. You remember how I wanted to tell Snape and I couldn't. It killed me. I was terrified all the time." He says.

"I am sorry. Please sto-" He laughs and flicks his fingers, The collar starts tightening again. Her face is white and her eyes are swimming with tears.

"I wish I was a dark lord too. If only so that I could call a gathering and humiliate you the way you insulted me all those years ago Malfoy. No-one knows about it. All those nights and gatherings when you forced me to do your bidding, when you controlled me have been haunting me. I want them to haunt you too."

The collar loosens and she stares at him.

"If you are worrying that I will try to force myself on you, then you can stop worrying. I won't touch you even if you are the last woman on this planet. I won't touch you even if you beg me. I hate you and I only want revenge which I shall have and then finally I will be able to live in peace. I apologize for the day when you came for the interview." He finishes and she wraps her trembling fingers around the collar.

He gets up and looks at her before speaking again, "Of course everyone will think that I am being unnecessarily cruel to you, that I am bigoted and I still won't tell them anything because I don't want to set them against you."

"Please remove it. Please." She begs, hiccuping as she speaks. He settles down on a chair and spreads his legs.

"I am applying for a job in the potions division of the ministry today." She murmurs out of the blue, her hands resting on the bed.

"Why?" He blurts out.

"I don't want to be an auror. I don't want to fight." She answers honestly. He looks at her.

"No. I forbid you." He smirks. She breathes deeply before opening her mouth but then she closes it again. The collar won't allow her to be rude.

"Please." She says blankly.

"Beg me." He says and places his right calf over his left knee.

"Please let me apply." She begs softly, her eyes boring into his.

"Kneel in front of me and beg nicely for it Malfoy and I might allow." He orders, the corners of his lips upturned in a wicked smirk.

She takes a sudden and deep breath and gets off the bed. She is in her silk night gown. It's red and suits her well. She is looking pretty. After another deep breath, she kneels down on her knees. and folds her hands before begging earnestly, "Please. Let me apply for the potions division. I am a potions mistress."

He curls his lips acting like he is deep in though and speaks a few seconds later, "No."

Then she does something. It's sudden and leaves him breathless and powerless. She takes his hands in both of hers and squeezes his fingers.

It takes him by surprise and it's been a very long time since anyone touched him except Scorpius or Ariana. He doesn't know why he doesn't pull back. He hates her.

"I know it's hard to forgive me. I know." She mumbles quickly, "You haven't shared it with anyone and it has made everything infinitely worse. It's okay. I am not made of glass."

As suddenly as she had grasped his hands, she lets them go and starts begging again, "That being said, please let me apply. Please. I am really begging you. I don't want to fight anymore."

"No." He says and stands up. It's all very confusing.

"You will do my paper work." His cheeks must have turned red because his face feels very warm. Couldn't he have thought of something else. Anything else. Paperwork. Really.  _Paperwork._

She is gaping at him.

"It's all your fault. You - why did you hold my hands?" He whirls around, wishing to slam his head on the wall. What the hell is he saying?

"Just get ready and wear- yes- wear something you absolutely don't want to." He orders and storms out of the house.

XXXX


End file.
